Archive for December 2025
HGBF Practice Advisory: Factors to Weight when Considering a T visa (Jan. 2026)
Trying to help a trafficking survivor decide whether to file a T visa application? This practice advisory includes factors to consider and discuss with the client.
Read MoreASISTA Statement on Recent USCIS Policy Manual Changes to VAWA Self-Petitions and Confidentiality Protections for Immigrant Survivors (Dec. 28, 2025)
Earlier this week, USCIS announced changes to its Policy Manual for VAWA Self-Petitions and the 1367 confidentiality protections, effective December 22, 2025. These changes render immigrant survivors both less able to access safety and to counter the weaponization of legal systems by abusers and traffickers to exercise power and control over them. Click here to…
Read MoreASISTA Practice Alert: USCIS Extreme Vetting Policies and Their Implication for Immigrant Survivors (Dec. 12, 2025)
This Practice Alert summarizes USCIS’s new extreme vetting policies, including broad adjudication holds, re-review of previously approved cases, and heightened discretionary scrutiny, and explains their serious implications for immigrant survivors seeking safety and stability. It also provides practical guidance for practitioners on preparing clients for the impact of these measures and on developing case strategies and…
Read MoreASISTA Practice Alert: Impact of HR-1 on Trafficking Survivors (Oct. 1, 2025)
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed HR-1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), which significantly impacts immigrant survivors of human trafficking. The law imposes new filing fees for immigration benefits, motions, and appeals before USCIS and EOIR, establishes additional financial penalties for certain immigration violations, and eliminates eligibility for a range of federal…
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